A Bittersweet Life
by MarcellusMiro66
Summary: In the wake of the Anon-A-Miss event, Sunset must find it in herself to protect a young girl from the wrath of a crime boss following her son's death at the hands of Sunset. Rated M in the future; A Potential Cartoon Crossover
1. Chapter 1: Never Go Back, Part 1

Hi, everyone, MarcellusMiro66 here! This is a story that needs a major recut. Based on the controversial 2014 _**Equestria** **Girls** **Holiday** **Special**_ , this is an **_Anon-A-Miss_** story inspired by Dainn's _Anon-A-Miss_ , Arwhale's _Hoof Covers Bruise_ , PhantomShadow051's _Equestria Girls: Applejack's Secret_ , and other **_Anon-A-Miss_** stories. On the media side, it also takes inspiration from _Rolling_ _Thunder_ , _Unforgiven_ , and _The_ _Dark_ _Knight_ among others.

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own anything besides my OCs. Also, not to be confused with my FIMFiction story of the same name.

Enjoy! If you can...

* * *

Canterlot City. A city that continues to spectacularly shine through even the most darkest of atrocious ages. Yes, it was so small, yet so significant. In the olden days, it was an old mining town that was later innovatively industrialized by Samuel Sapphire aka "Star Swirl the Bearded", due to his prime and precious penchant for relentless reinvigorating collapsing companies. Canterlot City was no exception. 200 hundred years later, Canterlot City is still the prominent pinnacle of star-studded success. Its cultural diversity has immensely increased, fantastically fusing new-aged styles with old-fashioned ones. In fact, the town has quite balanced the line between fantasy and reality. It was a diamond in the rough.

However, a diamond was exactly what it was: A damaged diamond.

Like all great things, that fantasy must revert back to reality.

* * *

 **(Wednesday, December 17th 2014)**

 **(7:00PM)**

Sunset wanted to cry. Sunset wanted to sob. Sunset wanted to scream out in amazing anguish. She couldn't, however. She could do nothing, she couldn't do anything. Nothing except / anything but...scarcely stare into her fabricated fireplace and softly sigh in sadness; she could subject herself to suicide and that would've been the end of this madness. She was still strong enough to dismiss those dismal thoughts from her head before any more could come of it.

Sunset sauntered over to her laptop and tentatively typed three words: 'Places to Move'. Out of all the ream of results that popped up, only one completely caught her attention. It was another small city in Michigan called Royal Woods; the school, which had a pithy percentage of bullying and violence, was a silver lining at best. This had to be the correct choice; otherwise, she would facing one final year of horrendous humiliation at the hands of her former friends.

Sunset, while speaking of former friends, attempted one final time two days ago to three talk down their temper towards her, but to no avail. Needless to say, her shocked surprise to find that Rainbow Dash had ratted her out to Gilda and the rest of the 30-person student board was an underratednunderstatement. To be fair, she figured this sort of thing would occur sooner or later – more sooner than later. She didn't think they'd go this far, however.

Sunset had just gotten back from the abandoned warehouse she was held captive in for two days straight two hours ago. She waited until the exact day (or days in this case) came where everybody had to be at school – final exam testing, running from Wednesday to Friday. It was highly hard to locate the lock, but it was worth it; she ultimately unlocked it and made her way back to her place. Then...well, we all know where she ended up as of now.

Sunset packed everything in her two backpacks / satchels, everything included the journal used to communicate with Twilight. It somewhat saddened her to leave the old place behind, but she had to. She had to be free of this. Sunset threw everything in the backseat of her black second generation 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS before entering into the driver's side. Turning over the engine, she drove off, intending to never look back and never go back. She kept her words.

* * *

 **(Friday, December 19th 2014)**

 **(2:00AM)**

19 hours and 37 minutes later, Sunset arrived at Michigan and, after one more, finally found the city of Royal Woods,

 _"My past is not today..."_ Sunset spoke softly before speeding into the town, ready to make a fresh new start. _One day, they'll understand. One day, they'll_ **_all_** understand.

A few hours in, and Sunset found herself in an abandoned apartment complex in the process of reconstruction. She shrugged it off as nothing more than a contrived coincidence when she entered inside. She set out her sleeping bag and slipped right in; she needed at least five hours of sleep and she wasn't getting it any time later.

 _Later or sooner..._

* * *

 **(12N)**

 _Sooner or later..._

Sunset woke up around ten hours later rather than two. She sat up and checked her clock; it was now noon. She got out of bed and stretched herself awake, rapidly rejuvenated with enlivened energy. Dressed in her old clothes, she then traveled into town with the intent of buying new ones...and a shower as well.

Sunset clutched herself close as she traveled to the Royal Woods Mall and counted her wallet's worth, close to a clutchy $500. She entered the closest clothing store and settled on the nearest clothing her eyes landed on: leather jackets. Split seconds turned into seconds, seconds turned into minutes. Minutes passed until she found the right sizes. Three to six of them, as par with preciseness. Yeah, it was overkill, but there is no kill like overkill...in a figurative sense.

Sunset emerged from the clothing store in a vintage style black leather jacket, a cobalt blue long-sleeve collared shirt, a white long-sleeve regular shirt, a pair of navy blue jeans with black flat-bottomed boots, and a pair of leather fingerless gloves with a red neckerchief. She made her way to the food court and ordered Chinese food: orange chicken, fried rice, and chow mein with sweet tea as the beverage specifically. She sat alone and offhandedly observed the occupants of the mall. There was an abundance of arguments abound, including a middle-aged couple, a tween couple, and a young and old couple. That last one arrested her attention...but for all the rotten reasons.

Sunset frowned upon the shocking sight of a teenage boy motionlessly manhandling a young girl around the age of nine. She leaned and listened closer to the point of extreme eavesdropping. She scowled as the boy pulled on her arm and led her out of the mall. Glacing between them and her food, she sat up and packed her food as she proceeded to follow them both. A few miles in, she found herself back at the abandoned apartment complex – the same abandoned apartment complex she was staying and sleeping in for the past ten hours. _Well, one option gone._

Sunset watched as the girl was thoughtlessly tossed out of the complex, the boy screaming and cursing in some incoherent interchange. The girl curled up into a ball for a moment's notice before popping up and bolting away from the building in tears. Again glancing between her and the building, Sunset chose the girl and thought _Comfort Later, Hurt Later._ She bolted after her, nothing else on her head at the moment.

The Anon-A-Miss atrocity came carelessly close.

Another few miles in, Sunset found the girl sulking by herself on a frost-covered bench, her tears slowly freezing onto her cheeks. It rather disturbingly dropped the ball on her own overriding the friend zone. This was in complete contrast to her own sticky situation, however. In fact, her situation in question was nothing compared to the girl's, which was taken to the expendable extreme. A 21-year-old boy (well, _boy_ might as well be an understatement) aggressively assaulting a 9-year-old girl: It was so woefully wrong,

"Hey. You okay?" Sunset wanted to question, never expecting an answer.

Nonetheless, she unexpectedly received one, "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Doesn't look like it."

"Well, obviously because I'm being sarcastic." The girl glanced back at Sunset, who stared back with an indifferent inspection, "I'm sorry, it's just...hard."

"You and me both." Sunset slightly scoffed.

"Look, I need to go home. There was nothing you could do." The girl stood up and began to leave, but Sunset stood up and followed her with her Chinese food in her grasp. The girl noticed her but didn't question her until they actually got to her house,

"Why are you so suddenly interested in me?"

"Don't think I didn't saw."

The girl stiffened but didn't cry like before. She was a scared little girl who needed a hug, and a hug she indeed give her. Sunset held the girl close for another moment's notice before she (the girl) broke away and looked up at her (Sunset),

"Ronnie."

"What?"

"My name is Ronnie Anne Santiago."

Sunset responded with a sincere smile for the first time in a week, "Mine's Sunset Shimmer."

It was at this prominent point that the two of them, despite having met only a few minutes, shared a sincere moment of understanding. Despite their difficulties, they were determined to make it through it all. Sunset and Ronnie Anne made their way into the house, hand in hand.


	2. Chapter 2: Running Blind, Part 1

**(Wednesday, December 17th 2014)**

 **(7:00PM)**

Logan Lazuli was a man of focus, a man of commitment, and a man of sheer will. Most importantly, however, Logan was a man of God. He pledged to be a Good Samaritan, a Robin Hood of some sorts. This didn't hinder the relentless refraining from killing, though.

Logan Lazuli, yes, despite his benevolent behavior, only killed when and if it was necessary. His reputation for a rather intense introvert and narrow nomad only furthered this theory. His durable desire for justice in the world (universe in his right mind) only straightened this theory. The theory of natural evolution seemed incredibly irrelevant to him in a way.

Logan Lazuli, in a way, was a behaving Blood Knight. He knew what the consequences of his criminal clashes were, and he felt little to almost no remorse for his aiming actions. Almost...

Logan was dressed decidedly in a black trenchcoat, a white long-sleeved collared shirt with a black dress vest, a pair of black dress pants with shoes, and a pair of black leather gloves. He had just gotten back from a party hosted by Mr. Filthy Rich and Mrs. Spoiled Rich. Out of the two, however, the former seemed to be the most spiritually stable; Logan couldn't help but ask...

 _"What do you see in your wife, sir?"_

 _"I make her and my daughter laugh **and** smile."_

 _"... Yes, that would explain some things..."_

Logan needed some contemporary clothes. _Now._

Logan spotted a nearby thrift shop, its theme song being _Thrift_ _Shop_ by Macklemore  & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz of all theme songs. He rolled his eyes at the intentioned irony of it all and started to shop until he dropped. A few hours later, Logan was decidedly dressed in a vintage brown leather jacket straight of the 70s, a blue flannel check shirt, a white traditional Henley, and a pair of brown Moc Toe boots.

Logan left $20 on the counter for the cashier in the back to see and departed from the store, his old set of clothes neatly folded up into a box, which he placed in the backseat of his black 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A. Turning over the engine, he drove off and set a course to Canterlot City.

* * *

 **(Thursday, December 18th 2014)**

 **(2:00AM)**

19 hours and 37 minutes later, Logan arrived at Colorado and, after one more, finally found the City of Canterlot,

 _"My future is not tomorrow..."_ Logan spoke softly before speeding into the city, ready to make a dirty old end. _One day, they'll understand. One day, they'll **all** understand._

A few minutes in, and Logan found himself in a height of a hotel; he didn't mind the view at all. Still, it was one of a thousand ways to kill someone. He had been doing this for quite awhile now, and he just couldn't stop, nor did he just can't get enough...and that's what scared him the most.

 _Later or sooner..._

* * *

 **(12N)**

 _Sooner or later..._

For a whole minute, there was a thick silence between the two sisters before Applejack took a deep breath. "Apple Bloom. I want the truth from you, nothing more or less."

Apple Bloom gulped.

Nostrils flaring, Applejack asked, "Are you, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo the _real_ Anon-A-Miss?"

For a long time, Apple Bloom didn't answer.

She then lowered her head, and whispered one word.

 _"Yes."_

* * *

To her own credit, Applejack didn't ultimately unleash her flurry of fury onto Apple Bloom. Instead, she silently sauntered back downstairs and called her brother and grandmother (who were out shopping); Rarity's parents; Principal Celestia; and Vice Principal Luna. Everybody met in Principal Celestia's office and glared deadly daggers at the trio, who glanced down in shame. As per the course, however, Applejack served as the virtuous voice of reason, albeit with a rough edge,

"So, lemme get this straight: You did this out of pure jealousy?"

"Yeah, sis. Sunset took you from me," Apple Bloom wiped away her tears, "I'm your flesh and blood, and you chose her over me!"

"You thought I had no choice?"

"Well, that, and we thought you all were under her spell." Sweetie Belle shrugged, "It seemed like a possibility."

"Her spell?" Fluttershy cocked her head in confusion.

"Yeah, she's from the pony world, right?" Scootaloo smoothed out her arms, "She was a magical unicorn, so we thought you were all under mind control because of her."

"Yet, you forgot that Sunset stopped the sirens from mind controlling you three along with the other students at school as well. You three knew this was a very wrong thing to do, but you deluded yourselves into thinking Sunset was doing something bad so you felt justified in your appalling actions," Vice Principal Luna pointed out in a cold and calculating tone.

"You're right, Miss Luna," Sweetie Belle began to tear up as well, "We realized we went too far and we wanted to stop it... we just didn't know how! We didn't want to get in trouble!"

"You shouldn't have done it in the first place. It was because of you that personal secrets were exposed and many students were embarrassed. On top of all this, Sunset Shimmer has been verbally and physically abused as a result of your helping in making them believe it was her wrongdoing."

"We're sorry! We really are! We didn't want this to go so far, honest!" Scootaloo shouted in desperation as she turned to Rainbow Dash, "You believe me, don't you Rainbow?!"

Rainbow Dash just turned away from her without a hint of real remorse.

"Rarity?" asked Sweetie Belle, biting her lip.

"Sweetie Belle, I believe that you should be prepared to face the consequences of your actions. Not just what you've done to Sunset, but us as well," scolded Rarity.

Apple Bloom looked at her sister with pleading eyes, "Sis? Please don't hate me."

For the longest time, Applejack looked at her sister and sighed, "Apple Bloom, you're are my sister. I will love you until the day I die, but until you at least make some effort to make this right...right now...I'm not ready to forgive you or believe you."

Apple Bloom finally burst into tears which made the others start crying as well. They muttered apology after apology and while some looked at them with sympathy, others just stood there and watched. Granny Smith and Rarity's parents eventually held their respective kin and let them cry in their chests while Scootaloo had to be held by Fluttershy. She kept looking at Rainbow Dash who didn't once spare a glance back at her.

"You alright, Rainbow?" Pinkie Pie held her friend's hand.

"No, Scootaloo, she... I don't want anything to do with her anymore," Rainbow Dash muttered under her breath.

"You know that's not true," Pinkie Pie shook her head while softly smiling, "The Rainbow Dash I know isn't going to drop her little sister even with this."

Rainbow Dash carefully glimpsed at the sobbing Scootaloo before turning away and closing her eyes, nodding in agreement, "Just... Just for now then..."

Celestia mirrored Rainbow Dash's careful glimpse and worked it onto the three girls, who were close to calm. She feigned a frown upon them all and cleared her throat: "The cyber laws will not allow you to be prosecuted for your hacking actions as you are under age. However, I will have to notify the police and give you a two weeks suspension and seven months of detention when you come back. You are also personally forbidden from bringing any electronics to school for the rest of the year and using the school's computers unless under strict supervision. You use the school's phone if you need to call home. Fair?"

The trio nodded.

"I believe it's best to admit your actions tomorrow at the school assembly," Luna stepped beside Celestia, who spoke immediately after,

"Luna's right. Your families shall talk to you about this situation, assuring that you learn from this experience. You have done a foolish mistake out of envy and you must learn from it, but I don't believe that you are bad girls."

"Yes, ma'am."

The three girls were taken home by their respective families, Fluttershy in the case of Scootaloo. Celestia stopped the girls before they could leave, though, "Girls, have you attempted to contact Sunset Shimmer?"


End file.
